Beating the odds is nothing new to me. 15 years ago, I had a 25% chance of survival, now I am a 17-year-old Senior in High School and getting acceptance letters to a couple colleges of my choice! Hepatoblastoma is not exactly a household word, it's a rare 1 in a million pediatric cancer. I spent the first 5 years of my life in and out of hospitals. Eventually my only hope was to receive a full liver transplant and I received my new cancer free liver on Mother's Day at Texas Children's Hospital. My treatments left me with some slight hearing loss issues and of course the transplant has brought about another set of life changing circumstances. I am immunosuppressed and on a first name basis with all the area phlebotomists! I have several scars all around my body. I used to feel self-conscious at the pool or locker rooms, but my mom has always supported the best in me and I'm finally now at a point to be proud of my scars, my strength! My mother has taught me how to manage my care, make all my appointments and how to advocate for myself. Advocating for myself is something I hope to turn into advocating for others. I started a small volunteer activity when I was 10 called Brandon's Buddies where I collected stuffed animals from friends and family and brought them to the hospital to pass out to kids in the hospital like me. Seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces made a forever impact on me. I know that I am meant to help kids in a fragile medical state. I would love to say that I have the mind to be an oncologist or even a transplant surgeon, but I'm a realist and I must try hard to get the grades I do have - I am an average student with a big heart and drive and determination to make a difference. I am going into Business Management – specializing in Entrepreneurship so that I can learn how to effectively start my own non-profit business. I have a twin brother as well! He will be going into Marketing and Communications. Together we hope to start up a wonderful compassionate and strong foundation that will help families struggling with medical bills and the emotional aspects. I have been a Make-A-Wish kid, so I know this is an area already being utilized. But we have different ideas to make this even broader and will focus a lot on the sibling aspect as well. I spend time volunteering at a local animal shelter and have made a lot of wonderful connections that I know I can implement into my future business plan to help others. Brandons Buddies just might evolve into the four legged variety to provide comfort and smiles! I will be working while in school to help cover my costs, with my brother and I both in school and at the same time, my mother will also be getting a side job to help us. She has been an Executive Assistant all her life and never did go to college, my brother and I will be the first in our family! When I eventually walk down the stage to get my college diploma, all the dreams my mom has had for me, along with all my dreams to help make my community a better place for families struggling with cancer is going to be is finally going to become a reality and I’m so honored and thankful to be here for this moment.

Beating the odds is nothing new to me. 15 years ago, I had a 25% chance of survival, now I am a 17-year-old Senior in High School and getting acceptance letters to a couple colleges of my choice! A little bit of luck and hard work can get you anywhere in life! I am a childhood cancer survivor and a liver transplant recipient. I spent the first 5 years of my life in and out of hospitals and along with some bumps in the road, I am 16 years post-transplant, and my mother has taught me how to manage my care, make all my appointments and how to advocate for myself. Advocating for myself is something I hope to turn into advocating for others. I started a small volunteer activity when I was 10 called Brandon's Buddies where I collected stuffed animals from friends and family and brought them to the hospital to pass out to kids in the hospital like me. Seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces made a forever impact on me. I know that I am meant to help kids in a fragile medical state. I would love to say that I have the mind to be an oncologist or even a transplant surgeon, but I'm a realist and I must try hard to get the grades I do have - I am an average student with a big heart and drive and determination to make a difference. I am going into Business Management – specializing in Entrepreneurship so that I can learn how to effectively start my own non-profit business. I have a twin brother as well! He will be going into Marketing and Communications. Together we hope to start up a wonderful compassionate and strong foundation that will help families struggling with medical bills and the emotional aspects. I have been a Make-A-Wish kid, so I know this is an area already being utilized but there is still a need to help cancer families and also to focus on the siblings of cancer patients. This is a scary time for them as well. We have ideas to make this even broader to extend beyond our community. It all starts with a dream. I also have developed a wide array of contacts and connections from my life to date spent at various volunteer activities and hospitals that I am hopeful will hep us invest in this endeavor and read our business plan. I will be working while in school to help cover my costs, with my brother and I both in school and at the same time, my mother will also be getting a side job to help us. She has been an Executive Assistant all her life and never did go to college - my brother and I will be the first in our family! When I eventually walk down the stage to get my college diploma, all the dreams my mom has had for me, along with all my dreams to help make my community a better place for kids with cancer and or transplants is going to be is finally going to become a reality and I’m so honored and thankful to be here for this moment.

Beating the odds is nothing new to me. 15 years ago, I had a 25% chance of survival, now I am a 17-year-old Senior in High School and getting acceptance letters to a couple colleges of my choice! A little bit of luck and hard work can get you anywhere in life! I am a childhood cancer survivor and a liver transplant recipient. I spent the first 5 years of my life in and out of hospitals and along with some bumps in the road, I am 16 years post-transplant, and my mother has taught me how to manage my care, make all my appointments and how to advocate for myself. Advocating for myself is something I hope to turn into advocating for others. I started a small volunteer activity when I was 10 called Brandon's Buddies where I collected stuffed animals from friends and family and brought them to the hospital to pass out to kids in the hospital like me. Seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces made a forever impact on me. I know that I am meant to help kids in a fragile medical state. I would love to say that I have the mind to be an oncologist or even a transplant surgeon, but I'm a realist and I must try hard to get the grades I do have - I am an average student with a big heart and drive and determination to make a difference. I am going into Business Management – specializing in Entrepreneurship so that I can learn how to effectively start my own non-profit business. I have a twin brother as well! He will be going into Marketing and Communications. Together we hope to start up a wonderful compassionate and strong foundation that will help families struggling with medical bills and the emotional aspects. I have been a Make-A-Wish kid, so I know this is an area already being utilized. But we have different ideas to make this even broader. It all starts with a dream. I will be working while in school to help cover my costs, with my brother and I both in school and at the same time, my mother will also be getting a side job to help us. She has been a single mother and hard working Executive Assistant, she never did go to college - my brother and I will be the first in our family! There were many times we barely had enough money for food and our clothes usually came from thrift stores. We understand that we have the ability to make a change in our lives and also help my mom out too. Being a kind human is my biggest goal! When I eventually walk down the stage to get my college diploma, all the dreams my mom has had for me, along with all my dreams to help make my community a better place for kids with cancer and or transplants is going to be is finally going to become a reality and I’m so honored and thankful to be here for this moment.

15 years ago, I had a 25% chance of survival, now I am 17 a Senior in High School and already getting acceptance letters to a couple colleges of my choice! A little bit of luck and hard work can get you anywhere in life! I am a childhood cancer survivor and a liver transplant recipient. I spent the first 5 years of my life in and out of hospitals and along with some bumps in the road, I am 16 years post-transplant, and my mother has taught me how to manage my care, make all my appointments and how to advocate for myself. Advocating for myself is something I hope to turn into advocating for others. I started a small volunteer activity when I was 10 called Brandon's Buddies where I collected stuffed animals from friends and family and brought them to the hospital to pass out to kids in the hospital like me. Seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces made a forever impact on me. I will be the first in my family to go to college (I have a twin brother, so I suppose I should say my sibling and I will be the first!) My mother always told me one of her biggest regrets was not taking High School seriously, or even believing in herself enough afterwards to go to college. She has worked her way up from a Receptionist to an Executive Assistant for a CEO at a large company. Though she enjoys it, it’s been years of hard work and not what her chosen career would have been otherwise. I am going into Business Management so that I can learn how to effectively start my own non-profit business. My Twin and I hope to start up a wonderful compassionate and strong foundation that will help families struggling with medical bills and the emotional aspects. I have been a Make-A-Wish kid, so I know this is an area already being utilized. But we have different ideas to make this even broader. It all starts with a dream. I will be working while in school to help cover my costs, with my brother and I both in school and at the same time, my mother will also be getting a side job to help us. I can’t wait to make my mom proud and see me walk across the stage one day with a Degree in hand. I am ready to take on this next challenge in my life and so very thankful to be here for it! I am excited to break the cycle in my family and help my children follow in the same path someday.

WHy will I be creating a non-profit? 15 years ago, I had a 25% chance of survival, now I am 17 a Senior in High School and already getting acceptance letters to a couple colleges of my choice! A little bit of luck and hard work can get you anywhere in life! I am a childhood cancer survivor and a liver transplant recipient. I spent the first 5 years of my life in and out of hospitals and along with some bumps in the road, I am 16 years post-transplant, and my mother has taught me how to manage my care, make all my appointments and how to advocate for myself. Advocating for myself is something I hope to turn into advocating for others. I started a small volunteer activity when I was 10 called Brandon's Buddies where I collected stuffed animals from friends and family and brought them to the hospital to pass out to kids in the hospital like me. Seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces, made a forever impact on me. I know that I am meant to help kids in a fragile medical state. I would love to say that I have the mind to be an oncologist or even a transplant surgeon, but I'm a realist and I must try hard to get the grades I do have - I am an average student with a big heart and drive and determination to make a difference. I am going into Business Administration so that I can learn how to effectively start my own non-profit business. I have a twin brother as well! He will be going into Marketing and Communications. Together we hope to start up a wonderful compassionate and strong foundation that will help families struggling with medical bills and the emotional aspects. I have been a Make-A-Wish kid, so I know this is an area already being utilized. But we have different ideas to make this even broader. It all starts with a dream. I would like to think that I will keep the name Brandon's Buddies. I will be working while in school to help cover my costs, with my brother and I both in school at the same time, my mother will also be getting a side job to help us. She has been an Executive Assistant all her life and never did go to college - my brother and I will be the first in our family! I am so thankful for my life and appreciate all the opportunities I have been given, II will not only make my family proud but myself and one-day, Brandons Buddies just might be a household name and relevant in the pediatric cancer/transplant world.

15 years ago, I had a 25% chance of survival, now I am 17 a Senior in High School and already getting acceptance letters to a couple colleges of my choice! A little bit of luck and hard work can get you anywhere in life! I am a childhood cancer survivor and a liver transplant recipient. I spent the first 5 years of my life in and out of hospitals and along with some bumps in the road, I am now 16 years post-transplant and cancer-free. My mother has taught me how to manage my care, make all my appointments and how to advocate for myself. Advocating for myself is something I hope to turn into advocating for others. I started a small volunteer activity when I was 10 called Brandon's Buddies where I collected stuffed animals from friends and family and brought them to the hospital to pass out to kids in the hospital like me. Seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces, made a forever impact on me. I still volunteer and collect animals and also help out Make A Wish at events. I know that I am meant to help kids in a fragile medical state. I would love to say that I have the mind to be an oncologist or even a transplant surgeon, but I'm a realist and I try hard to get the grades I do have - I am an average student with a big heart and drive and determination to make a difference. I am going into Business Administration so that I can learn how to effectively start my own non-profit business. I have a twin brother as well! He will be going into Marketing and Communications. Together we hope to start up a wonderful compassionate and strong foundation that will help families struggling with medical bills and the emotional aspects. I have been a Make-A-Wish kid, so I know this is an area already being utilized. But we have different ideas to make this even broader. It all starts with a dream. I will be working while in school to help cover my costs, with my brother and I both in school at the same time, my mom will also be getting a side job to help us. She has been an Executive Assistant for all her life and never did go to college - my brother and I will be the first in our family! I am so thankful for my life and the ability to attend college and make a good life for myself and others! I appreciate the opportunity and thank you so much for taking the time to read my story.